Beginner Freestyle

Hi guys, i'm an expert skier, current age 21 been skiing since i was 3, however my whole ski experience has been race / normal downhill... Recently i've started freestyle and im looking for some advice on the best way to practice or go about learning the basics

Gear:

Salomon Czar's

Z10 Bindings

Matching boots i cant remember their exact name but their in the car...

The Czars themselves are not great for the park as their more big Mt and pow ski's so im saving for some suspects right now.

Now i can slide boxes ok and throw in a 180 slide to come out switch, pretty much the same with metal pipes, but im yet to try a normal rail because i feel like they must be harder, other than that i can throw straight airs nice and easily with safety's as well as 180's both ways and 360's but i just cant get enough rotation on my 3's i keep over or under rotating and end up landing back seat and dragging an arm, i also seem to only be able to do them over a spine i feel like they would be much harder of a normal kicker...is this true? Other than this i don't have access to airbags or foam pits a lot other than maybe once or twice a year, im looking to really progress my riding but being British i only have the chance to ski about twice a month at XScape

anyone got any tips for progression, things to practice over and over? I do a lot of spins on the ground before i try my 3's to get a feel for the motion. I have great balance but would like to know if theirs any other tips about that could progress my skiing in the park. Would it be beneficial to get some skates, and hit the skate park? I know spins will be a tad different due to no ski swing but it should help me get used to grinds and rotations with boots on as well as im sure foam pits are much more readily available at skate parks.

Has anyone been to the Salomon grom camps? if so are they as helpful as i've heard as im going on the 23rd

yeh i always pop before the lip and am easy 1/4 round after immediate take off, i find myself accidentally popping off 1 ski and trowing a leg some times, then when i land i think WTF, i've been told to not throw my arms for 3's but i suppose until i get them dialed properly i'll just have to keep trying.

Maybe this works for this guy, but I usually pop and then spin. A solid, equal-footed pop helps you balance better in the air for your spins and really helps with the landing as well.

Make sure to keep looking for the landing throughout your spin so that you get the right rotation. Learning 3s off a straight-on jump is better than a hip or a spine because you will learn to consistently spot the landing and land at perfectly 360 degrees.

For rails i would try to hit a low flat bar or rail first and get comfortable on it. Even if its something you throw together in your yard, being comfortable with the park is one of the most important things in skiing. Then eventually move onto a down rail or something of the sort. You don't want to try and move up too quickly because you'll end up hurting yourself. Like for jumps just hit it a few times, straight air to get a sense of what it feels like, then start trying to throw 3s or grabs.

3's were the hardest for me to learn right with backflips. Just takes trying upon trying upon trying to get it down. I was about 21-22 as well when I got to that point me thinks. Frustrating because there is beginners luck, you may land the first one like I did although sketchy so you want to improve, but it's so elusive and you fall harder and harder and seem to be getting worse, but suddenly you get it. Try a grab

It took me four years to finally fall down doing a 540, just happened this year. weird how that works out

cheers, and i landed my first ever attempt at a three was super stoked, then i pretty much under or over rotated the next 15 i did that day, kept dragging my arm and seriously damaged some ligaments, lifes a bitch! i'm looking to get 3's dialed asap and move onto 2's on off rails and boxes, then ill work on 5's and 7's, and i need an airbag before i try flips :(

May 18 2013 8:38AM

All times are Eastern (-4)

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